CHICAGO, September 3, 2024 — The American Bar Association is concerned about ongoing criminal investigations and other forms of harassment against the Instituto de Defensa Legal (IDL). IDL is a leading human rights organization in Peru comprised of lawyers and journalists who are working to preserve democratic institutions in the country and support accountability for high-level state corruption.
The ABA views these actions as the latest in an escalation of threats against the independence of Peru’s judiciary. The apparent retaliation against IDL by political actors for supporting independent adjudication of high-level corruption cases poses a risk to the safety of IDL’s staff and the health of Peru’s democracy. In addition to criminalization of IDL’s activities, the ABA is also concerned about ongoing harassment and doxing that IDL and its staff are enduring.
The ABA calls on the Public Ministry of Peru to comply with national and international standards of freedom of expression, judicial independence and due process rights in its handling of criminal investigations against IDL and to protect the work of independent lawyers and justice operators, human rights defenders and anti-corruption advocates from threats to their safety.
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